Magnetically actuated motile toy device



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 r T o A TTOENE Y5 March 1, 1966 M. FELlZlANl MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED MOTILE TOY DEVICE Filed April 16. 1963 was m 696M mw 6m Qm Wm March 1, 1966 M. FELIZIANI MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED MOTILE TOY DEVICE Filed April 16. 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

MAURO f'L/Z/fl V A TTOENE r5 March 1, 1966 M. FELIZIANI MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED MOTILE TOY DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 16. 1963 March 1, 1966 FELIZ|AN| 3,237,345

MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED MOTILE TOY DEVICE Filed April 16, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MUM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,237,345 MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED MOTILE TOY DEVICE Mauro Feliziani, 48 Colonial Road, Old Bethpage, N.Y. Filed Apr. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 273,489 9 Claims. (Cl. 46-235) This invention relates to toy devices and, more particularly, to toy devices of the kind relating to dolls which are magnetically actuated,

In one type of prior art device of the aforementioned kind, the doll is maintained in a fixed or substantially fixed position relative to an electromagnet. The doll is provided with magnetically responsive limbs which co-act with the magnetic field produced by the electromagnet. Hence, the doll or, if the limbs are movable, the movement of the limbs are actuated by the electromagnet. However, the inherent disadvantage of this and other prior art toy devices of the aforementioned kind is that the dolls movement and/ or limb movement is confined and limited to a relatively fixed locale, i.e., in the immediate vicinity of the electromagnet and particularly in those prior art devices where the doll is actually pivotally aflnred thereto.

An object of this invention is to provide a toy device of the aforementioned kind, in which the doll moves relative to a predetermined reference position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy device of the aforementioned kind, in which the doll simulates certain animated actions such as, for example, in the case of a biped, walking either on its feet or on its hands, or running, crawling, etc.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy device of the aforementioned kind, in which a plurality of dolls simulate certain animated actions such as, for example, walking in a parade, crowd or the like.

Still other objects of this invention are to provide a toy device of the aforementioned kind, which is capable of being utilized with model railway systems and the like, is conducive to modular construction, etc., to name just a few.

Accordingly, this invention provides, inter alia, at least one doll having at least one pair of movable limbs. In addition, a plurality of electromagnetic means which are predeterminedly arranged in first and second rows are also provided. One of the movable limbs of the provided pair is adapted to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnetic means in one of the two provided rows and the other limb is similarly adapted to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnetic means of the other row. A switching means is provided for sequentially energizing the electromagnetic means of the first and second rows to actuate alternately the limbs and move the doll relative to some predetermined reference position.

Although such novel feature or features as are believed to be characteristic of the invention and are pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be further understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG..1 is a plan view of preferred embodiment illustrating the toy device of the present invention, the doll having been omitted for sake of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the interior of one of the modular units of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial schematic view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating an example of the layout of the modular units of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a partial schematic view of an alternative of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, like reference numbers denote like parts in the various figures.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the toy device of this invention broadly comprises at least one doll such as, for example, the biped doll 10, FIG. 2, which has at least one pair of movable limbs that are illustrated, by way of example only, as being the right and left legs 11 and 12, respectively. The movable limbs of the doll 10 are provided with magnetically responsive portions and for the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing are provided with the magnets 13 and 14 disposed within the legs 11 and 12, respectively. It is to be understood, however, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, that the limbs according to the broad aspects of this invention alternatively may be made magnetically responsive by simply being provided, for example, with a portion composed of iron or other permeable substance and that the particular manner of providing the movable limbs with the magnetically responsive portions illustrated in the drawings, as well as the manner in which they are actuated as will be explained hereinafter, is by way of example only in the preferred embodiment chosen to teach the principles of the present invention.

The movable limbs of the doll, according to the broad aspects of this invention, are adapted to be magnetically responsive to a plurality of electromagnetic means which are arranged in first and second rows. Thus, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, eight, but not necessarily limited thereto, electromagnets 15 to 22, shown in outline form in FIG. 2 for sake of clarity, are arranged in first and second rows, and as illustrated more clearly in FIG. 3, one row comprises the electromagnets 15, 17, 19, 21 and the other row comprises the electromagnets 16, 18, 20, 22. As illustrated in the drawings, and by way of example only, the right leg 11 is adapted to be magnetically responsive to the row of electromagnets 15, 17, 19, 21 and the left leg 12 to the other row of electromagnets 16, 18, 20, 22. The electromagnets of the first and second rows are sequentially energized, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, to actuate alternately the movable limbs 11-12 to move the doll 10 from a predetermined reference position such as the starting position designated by the arrow 23, illustrated in FIG. 2.

The contacts of electromagnets 15 to 22, such as the contact 24, 25 of electromagnet 15 are coupled by suitable conductors, not shown for the sake of clarity in FIGS. 2 and 3, to the appropriate contacts, not shown, associated with and located at the back of the electrical receptacle 26. A switching means, indicated generally by reference numeral 27 and which is adapted to be coupled to a' source of energy such as, for example, the battery 28 shown in outline form in FIG. 1, is coupled via the multi-conductor 29 and plug 30-and-receptacle 26 assembly to the electromagnets 1522. Switching means 27 is operated, with the ON-OFF switch 31 in the ON position, to sequentially energize the electromagnets 1522.

Referring to FIG. 4 in greater detail, the switching means 27 of the preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated, by way of example only, as having eight wafers 32-39 and respectively associated wiper arms 40- 47 commonly ganged to the shaft 27a, illustrated as dash line 27a. Each wafer has eight contacts, commonly numbered 1-8 for sake of explanation, and thereby provides eight switching positions for the switching means 27. Wiper arms 40, 42, 44, 46 are connected by the conductors 48, 49, 50, 51, respectively, to the negative terminal of source 28 and wiper arms 41, 43, 45, 47 are connected by the respective conductors 52, 53, 54, 55 to the positive terminal of source 28 via the conductors 58 and 59, respectively, and switch 31.

The contacts of the electromagnets -22 are connected to predetermined contacts of the various wafers 32-39 in such a manner that the electromagnets 15-22 will be sequentially engaged to actuate alternately the limbs 11-12 as the wafer arms 40-47 engages their respective associated contacts 1-8. Thus, in the broad aspects of this invention, as the electromagnets are sequentially energized, due to the magnetic portion of the limb associated with the row of the energized electromagnet being attracted thereto, it will cause the limbs to be actuated alternately andmove the doll from the reference position 23. Thus, as aforementioned, the magnetic portions need only be of a permeable composition in which case the polarity of magnetic field is not critical to the operation of the toy device. However, where the outer extremities of the limbs 11-12 have respective definite magnetic polarities, which can also be alike or different, associated therewith, then it is preferred that the electromagnets of the row associated with a given limb provide a magnetic field having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the limbs aforementioned extremity for attracting the limb thereto. Furthermore, in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the electromagnets are preferably connected so that not only will the succeeding electromagnet be energized to attract the appropriate limb but also the preceding electromagnet of the same row will be so energized as to provide a magnetic field which repels the magnetic pole associated in the extremity of the aforesaid appropriate limb. In all of the cases aforedescribed, it is desirable to provide concurrently energization of the particular electromagnet located in the other row and associated with the other limb so as to provide a magnetic field and/or a magnetic field of such a polarity that the aforementioned other limb will be attracted and held in place thereby while the limb associated with the adjacent row is being actuated by the electromagnet or electromagnets, as the case may be, that are located in the adjacent row.

Thus, for example, when the switching means 27a is in the first position, assuming switch 31 to be closed, the magnetic field, produced by electromagnet 15, provides a north magnetic pole at the top of the winding of electromagnet 15, FIG. 2, which repels the north pole of the magnet 13 while at the same time the electromagnet 17 produces a magnetic field which produces a south pole at the top of the winding which attracts the north pole of magnet 13 and the limb 11. Also in the first switching position, the electromagnet 16 produces a magnetic field which provides a north pole at the top of the winding of electromagnet 16 that attracts and maintains the south pole of magnet 14 and consequently the limb 12 remains thereat. For the sake of explanation, it will be assumed that current direction from right to left in any particular electromagnet illustrated in FIG. 4 produces a north pole at the top of the winding associated therewith and, conversely, current direction from left to right produces a south pole thereat. Thus, in the first switching position illustrated in FIG. 4, the wiper arms 40-41 are closed upon their respective contacts 1 and as such the current passes from right to left through the winding of electromagnet 15 starting from the positive terminal of source 28, the conductors 59, 52, wiper arm 41, contact 1 of wafer 33, conductors 60, 61, the winding of electromagnet 15, conductors 62, 63, contact 1 of Wafer 32, arm 40, through conductors 48, 58 and terminating at the negative terminal of source 28. Likewise, in the first position illustrated in FIG. 4, the current passes from left to right through winding 17 starting from the source 28s positive terminal, conductors 59, 54, arm 45, contact 1 of wafer 37, conductors 64, 65, electromagnet 15s winding, conductors 66, 67, contact 1 of wafer 36, arm 44, conductors 50 and 58 and ending at the negative terminal of source 28. At the same time, the current flows from right to left through the winding of electromagnet 16 starting at the positive terminal of source 28, conductors 59, 53, arm 43, contact 1 of wafer 35, conductors 68, 69, 70, electromagnet 16s winding, conductors 71, 72, contact 2 of wafer 35, conductor 73, contact 1 of wafer 34, conductors 49, 58, and ending at the negative terminal of source 28. In this manner, the limb 11 of the doll 10 is actuated and moves from the vicinity of electromagnet 15 to the vicinity of electro: magnet 17 while the limb 12 remains in the Vicinity of electromagnet 16. 7

At the second switch position, the wiper arms 4 047 are removed from their respective contacts 1 to their respective contacts 2. As a result, the winding of electromagnet 15 is de-energized and the current direction in the winding of electromagnet 17 continues to flow in the same direction, viz., left to right as in the first switch position, commencing at the positive terminal of source 28, conductors 59, 53, arm 43, contact 2 of water 35, conductors 72, 71, electromagnet 16s winding, conductors 70, 69, 68, contact 2 of wafer 34, arm 42, conductors 49, 58, and from there to the negative terminal of source 28. And in the winding of electromagnet 18, the current flows in the direction from right to left commencing at the positive terminal of source 28, through conductors 59, 55, arm 47, contact 2 of Wafer 39, conductors 74, 75, electromagnet 185 winding, conductors 76, 77, contact 2 of Wafer 38, arm 46, conductors 51, 58 and to source 28s negative terminal. Thus, in the second switch position the limb 12 is actuated and moves from the vicinity of electromagnet 16 to the vicinity of electromagnet 18, while the limb 11 remains in the vicinity of electromagnet 17.

As is obvious from the schematic of FIG. 4, in a similar manner, the limbs 11 and 12 are actuated and move alternately in the remaining switch position via the proper energization of the appropriate electromagnet, whereupon at the end of the last or eighth switching position, the switching cycle repeats itself. The following Table I indicates the switching sequence and the magnetic condition of the electromagnets of FIG. 4 in relation to the respective limb with which it is associated.

As is obvious to those skilled in the art, any number of electromagnets and switching positions may be utilized. Furthermore, for any given switching cycle, the rangeof operation of the doll 10 may be increased by connecting appropriately additional electromagnetic means in parallel with the already existing ones, such as, f or example, by connecting electromagnets 15-22' to electromagnets 15- 22. Also, in these latter cases, one or more additional dolls, such as the doll 10', FIG. 2, may also be utilized to simulate parades, crowds, etc. since commonly connectedv electromagnets will be. synchronously energized duringthe same part of the switching cycle. The principles of this invention are also applicable to other movable multilimbed. dolls such as quadruped dolls, illustrated as, for example, the dog 78, shown in outline form and having two pairs of magnetically responsive movable limbs 79-82. The front legs of the doll 78 are adapted to co-act with the. electromagnetic means of the appropriate rows that are connected in parallel to the electromagnetic, means of the appropriate rows which co-act with the rear legs of the dog 78 and are thereby synchronously energized therewith during the same .part of the switching cycle.

The dolls utilized in the invention are preferably balanced and constructed of rubber or the like with a sufiicient degree of flexibility to allow the limbs 11-12 to move freely in a direction parallel to the plane of the drawing and are further constructed to prevent the legs from moving in a direction oblique to the plane of the drawing. In this manner, each of the magnetic responsive portions of the limbs is prevented from being actuated by the electromagnets of the other row and/ or, in the cases where the limbs are provided with magnets, from co-acting with each other. Alternatively, the doll may be constructed so that the limbs are pivotally attached to the body to allow the aforedescribed movement within the plane of the drawing and are unable to move obliquely thereto, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

This invention further contemplates housing the electromagnetic means in a housing means, such as the box-like housing assembly 83 having a top portion 84, FIG, 1. The electromagnetic means are mounted and placed within the enclosed housing assembly 83, such as the electromagnets 15-22 and suitable Wire connections, not shown, are made to the contacts of receptacle 26 disposed on, for example, the side wall of assembly 83. The assembly 83, further provides a receptacle 86 located at the end wall 87, thereof, and a plug assembly 88 located at the end wall 89 for connecting the electromagnets 15-22 tothe appropriate electromagnets located in adjacent similar housing assemblies. For example, the electromagnets 15-22 located in assembly 83 are appropriately connected to the contacts, not shown, of plug 88, the latter being adapted to be received by a receptacle, not shown, located in the end wall 90 of adjacent assembly 91. Assembly 91 is adapted to house the electromagnets 15-22' and the latter are connected to the appropriate contacts of the aforementioned receptacle located in end wall 90. In a similar manner, the electromagnets are appropriately connected by suitable wires, not shown, to the contacts, such as contact 92, of receptacle 86, which is adapted to receive the plug, not shown, located in the end wall 93 of the assembly 94, partially illustrated. Assembly 94 also houses electromagnets, not shown, which are connected to the appropriate contacts, not shown, of the plug located in end wall 93. It is preferred that the pins of the plug, such as pin 95 of plug 88 be constructed of rigid material so that the assemblies may be mechanically, as well as electrically, firmly coupled. It is obvious, that generally only a single assembly, such as assembly 83, will require a receptacle, such as receptacles 26, for connection to the switching means 27 and source 28, illustrated by way of example only as being disposed within the control box 96. Magnetic members such as the hemisphere member 97 are affixed to the top 84 in the proximity of the mounted electromagnets.

In utilizing the housing assemblies as modular units, the assembly may be formed into a continuous nonclosing layout not shown, such as straight layout, or it may be formed into a self-closing layout, such as the oval layout illustrated in FIG. 5. By judiciously selecting the curvature .of the end modular assemblies, standard size straight or curved modular sections can be utilized. In self-closing layouts, it is obvious that the terminal modular unit, such as assembly 94, FIG, 5, would not be electrically connected to the assembly 84, the disconnection being effected, for example, by not connecting the electromagnets, not shown, contained in assembly 94' to the contacts of the plug contained in the end wall thereof.

The switch means 27 is preferably reversible and may be operated either manually by the dial 98, or by suitable drive means, such as the assembly comprising motor driving and control means '99 and reversible motor 100,

6 the shaft 101 of which is connected to shaft 27a by suitable gear means 102, FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is partially and schematically illustrated an alternative of the embodiment of FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 6, the electromagnets 19-22 are not connected directly to the switching means 27' but are coupled in parallel to electromagnets 15-18, respectively. The wafer switch is also modified to comprise only six wafers 103-108, having four switching positions represented by the contacts commonly numbered 1-4, respectively. As the draft 27a is rotated from position 1' to 4, the electromagnets 15-22 will be energized and the limbs 11, 12 of the doll 10 will be actuated as indicated in the following Table II, the shaft 27a being required to be rotated twice to move the doll from the electromagnet 15 to the electromagnet 22.

Table II Electromagnet Ref. Nos. Switch Position Limb Activated 1 11 N N S N N S 12 S S N S S N 3 11 N N N N 12 S N S S N S While the switching means has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, it is apparent that other types, such as, for example, electronic switching means may be utilized as well as different arrangements and/or quantities of the electromagnetic means and/ or assembly units of the present invention.

Furthermore, it is apparent that other modifications of the modular units as well as other embodiments thereof may be utilized in practising the principles of this invention and that the modular units described herein are to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention and are in no way to be considered a limitation thereto.

I claim:

1. A toy device comprising, in combination, at least one dol having at least one pair of movable limbs, a plurality of electromagnetic means predeterminedly arranged in first and second rows, means on one limb of said doll being positionally disposed to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnetic means of one of said first and second rows and means on the other limb of said doll being positionally disposed to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnetic means of the other of said first and second rows and switching means adapted to be coupled to a source of electrical energy for sequentially energizing the electromagnetic means of said first and second rows to actuate alternately said limbs and move said doll relative to a predetermined reference position.

2. A toy device comprising in combination at least one doll having at least one pair of magnetically responsive movable limbs, the limbs of said doll'having predetermined magnetic polarities associated at the respective extremities thereof, a plurality of electromagnetic means predeterminedly arranged in first and second rows, means on one limb of said doll being positionally disposed to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnetic means of one of said first and second rows and means on the other limb of said doll being positionally disposed to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnetic means of the other of said first and second rows, and switching means adapted to be coupled to a source of electrical energy for sequentially energizing the electromagnetic means of each of said first and second rows to actuate alternately said limbs and move said doll relative to a predetermined reference position, each of the electromagnetic means in each of said rows being arranged in circuit to be energized to provide a magnetic field to attract the respective limb associated with the respective row thereof whenever said respective limb is being repelled by a predetermined adjacent: electromagnetic means of the same row and arranged in circuit to be energized by the coaction of said switching means and said source to provide a magnetic field to repel said respective limb whenever said respective limb is being attracted by a magnetic field provided by a predetermined adjacent electromagnetic means of the same row.

3. A toy device according to claim 2 wherein the limbs of said doll have mutually exclusive opposite magnetic polarities associated at the respective extermities thereof.

4. A toy device comprising in combination at least one doll having at least one pair of movable limbs, a plurality of electromagnetic means predeterminedly arranged in first and second rows, means on one limb of said doll being positionally disposed to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnetic means of one of said first and second rows and means on the other limb of said doll being posi tionally disposed to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnetic means of the other of said first and second rows, housing means for housing said electromagnetic means, and switching means adapted to be coupled to a source of electrical energy for sequentially energizing the electromagnetic means of said first and second rows to actuate alternately said limbs and move said doll relative to a predetermined reference position.

5. A toy device according to claim 4 wherein said housing means comprises a plurality of similar adjacent housing units, each of said housing units housing a predetermined number of electromagnetic means of each of said first and second rows, means for coupling the electromagnetic. means of each of said housing units to the similar electromagnetic means of the housing unit adjacent thereto, and at least one of said units having means adapted to be coupled to said switching means.

6. A toy device comprising in combination at least one doll having at least one pair of magnetically responsive movable limbs, the limbs of said doll having predetermined magnetic polarities associated at the respective extremities thereof, a plurality of electromagnetic means predeterminedly arranged in first and second rows, means on one limb of said doll being positionally disposed to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnetic means of one of said first and second rows and means on the other limb of said doll being positionally disposed to be magnetically responsive. to the electromagnetic means of the other of said first and second rows, housing means for housing said electromagnetic means, and switching means adapted to be coupled to a source of electrical energy for sequentially energizing the electromagnetic means of said first and second rows to actuate alternately said limbs and move said doll relative to a predetermined reference position, each of the electromagnetic means in each of said rowsv being arranged in circuit to be energized by the coaction of said switching means and said source to provide a magnetic field to attract the respective limb associated with the respective row thereof whenever said respective limb is being repelled by a magnetic field provided by a predetermined adjacent electromagnetic means of the same row and arranged in circuit to be energized by the coaction of said switching means and said source to provide a magnetic field to repel said respective limb whenever said respective limb is being attracted by a magnetic field provided by a predetermined adjacent electromagnetic means of the same row.

7. A toy device according to claim 6 wherein said housing means comprises a plurality of similar adjacent housing units, each of said housing units housing a predetermined number of electromagnetic means of each of said first and second rows, means for coupling the electromagnetic means of each of said housing units to the similar electromagnetic means of the housing unit adjacent thereto, and at least one of said units having means adapted to be coupled to said switching means.

8. A toy device according to claim 7 wherein the limbs of said doll have mutually exclusive opposite magnetic polarities associated at the respective extremities thereof.

9. A toy device comprising in combination at least one doll having at least one pair of magnetically responsive movable limbs, the limbs of said doll having respective opposite predetermined magnetic polarities associated at the respective extremities thereof, a plurality of electromagnetic means predeterminedly arranged in first and'sec- 0nd rows, means on one limb of said doll being positionally disposed to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnets of one of said first and second rows and means on the other limb of said doll being positionally disposed to be magnetically responsive to the electromagnets of the other of said first and second rows, a plurality of similar modular housing units for housing said electromagnets, each of said housing units housing a predetermined number of the electromagnets of each of said first and second rows and having means for coupling the electromagnetic means housed therein to the similar electromagnets of a housing unit adjacent thereto, and switching means adapted to be coupled to a source of electrical energy and to the electromagnets housing in at least one of said housing members for sequentially energizing the electromagnets of each of said first and second rows to actuate alternately said limbs and move said doll relative to a predetermined position, each of the electromagnets in each of said rows being arranged in circuit to be energized by said switching means to provide a magnetic field to attract the respective limb associated with the respective row thereof whenever said limb is being repelled by a magnetic field provided by a predetermined adjacent electromagnet of the same row and arranged in circuit to be energized by the coaction of said switching means and said source to provide a magnetic field to repel said respective limb whenever said limb is being attracted by a magnetic field provided by a predetermined adjacent electromagnet of the same row.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,323,232 11/1919 Page 46-149 X 1,616,280 2/1927 Prins 273-862 1,648,956 11/11927 Meade 273-862 X 2,623,326 12/1952 Kinney 46-235 2,794,929 6/1957 Adamski 46-235 X 3,143,826 8/1964 Ellis 46-149 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TOY DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AT LEAST ONE DOLL HAVING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF MOVABLE LIMBS, A PLURALITY OF ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS PREDETERMINEDLY ARRANGED IN FIRST AND SECOND ROWS, MEANS ON ONE LIMB OF SAID DOLL BEING POSITIONALLY DISPOSED TO BEMAGNETICALLY RESPONSIVE TO THE ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS OF ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ROWS AND MEANS ON THE OTHER LIMB OF SAID DOLL BEING POSITIONALLY DISPOSED TO BE MAGNETICALLY RESPONSIVE TO THE ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS OF THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ROWS AND SWITCHING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE COUPLED TO A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY FOR SEQUENTIALLY ENERGIZING THE ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ROWS TO ACTUATE ALTERNATELY SIAD LIMBS AND MOVE SAID DOLL RELATIVE TO A PREDETERMINED REFERENCE POSITION. 